If Isis had pursued their early industrial leanings instead of their later atmospheric ones, Inswarm might have resulted. I miss that dirty, Godflesh-inspired sound, and thought it was extinct (with the exception of Hyatari) until I heard Inswarm.

The band has connections to many others. Along with Cobalt’s Erik Wunder, Inswarm are Jarboe’s touring band. They remixed Secrets of the Moon for the box set of Privilegivm. Vocalist/programmer Fade Kainer drummed for Burton C. Bell’s Ascension of the Watchers, and is now in up-and-coming NYC doom outfit Batillus (review here). With so much talent, it’s amazing that the band is still unsigned.

It’s also amazing how evolved its sound is. Like early Isis, grit streams like silt over everything. Concrete and decay fight a pitched battle as machines whir in the background. Delicate melodies cast a luminous glow at times, though darkness wins in the end. It’s a refreshing change from how watered-down post-metal has become. The point is to span extremes, not to straddle the middle.

Inswarm have made Surely Death Is No Dream available for free download below. You can also buy the CD from the band here.

4 Comments

pretty cool but one of my pc speakers died half way so going to check out the download on some thing a bit better! I think that particular industrial vibe (for me at least) comes from those particular synth sounds used in the '80's in Carpenter / Cronenberg movies Cold, creeping urban dread. Folks might want to check these guys out, heavy GodFlesh / Neurosis influence taken in a different direction: http://www.myspace.com/minethorn